The Beginning of Always
by EternalVeritie
Summary: A little Harmony romance, because they're super cute! Set during their honeymoon. Day 3: Wengen, Switzerland! Definitely AU and slightly OOC.
1. Paris

**A/N: Hey! Hope you enjoy this little bit of Harmony!**

Hermione woke up to rays of sunlight dancing through the gaps in the curtains. For a moment, she was confused. She wasn't in her bed, or in Harry's, though it still smelled like him. For a quick moment, she panicked, trying to figure out where she was. Suddenly, everything came flooding back to her. She wiggled her fingers just to make sure it wasn't all just a huge dream, though every moment with him felt like one. She felt the slight weight on her ring finger and smiled to herself. She was officially, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health, his. And she wouldn't want it any other way.

She lay there for a few moments longer, savoring the peace, the quiet, the unique smell of the Parisian air. As she felt his eyes on her, she slowly turned and opened her own to look at him.

"You're adorable when you sleep," Harry said. Her only reply was to tilt her head up to kiss him. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her to closer to him. Burying her face against his shoulder, she curled up into his warmth. He clasped her left hand in his and brought it up to his lips, kissing the ring he'd so gently, lovingly slipped on her finger.

Hermione glanced at it briefly and couldn't help but admire its uniqueness yet again. Not the typical diamond, he'd instead chosen a simple gold band with a blue sapphire catching the light peeking into the room. The ring, uniquely her, with the simple inscription inside, meant so much more than any diamond ever could have. Something special, he'd told her, for someone special, someone unique, someone interesting. She looked into his eyes, "I love it, you know."

"And I love you."

She couldn't help but roll her eyes slightly, fighting to hold back a smile, but failing miserably. The first time, the most recent, and every other time he'd said those words to her, she smiled, blushed internally, was the happiest person in the world. "I love you, too," she said, knowing no words could truly explain just how much.

He smiled, taking her hand and leading her out of bed. "Come on, babe. We can't just lie in bed all day. We've got a whole city to explore!" His excitement was contagious, not that Hermione wasn't exceedingly excited already. They were in France! She'd always dreamed of visiting, tasting the food, looking at all the architecture, and speaking her somewhat decent, but ever-improving French.

A quick shower later, they were out, heading to the little café outside the hotel. They sat in a booth, placing their breakfast orders. Well, Hermione placed the orders, chatting with the waitress, as Harry simply sat across from her, watching, content to be silent, staring at his gorgeous wife. He noticed her blushing slightly, and the waitress glancing over at him, while the two continued to speak in rapid French. He immediately straightened up, wondering what was being said about him, trying to not appear as confused as he felt. As the waitress left, Hermione turned back to him.

"She noticed the ring and was asking how long we've been together. She thought we seem perfect for each other. I told her there was no better way to phrase it." A hint of her earlier blush returned to her cheeks.

"We definitely are, love," Harry replied.

The waitress came by again as they were discussing plans for the day, placing a plate of strawberry and Nutella crepes in front of both of them. As they dug in, they had the chance to people watch, while sneaking not-so-secret glances at each other. She knew he was wearing blue for her, her favorite color on him. It always made him look so handsome, and she had many memories of him wearing that color. Likewise, he admired her choice of outfit. A simple white dress bordered with lace clung to her figure, flowing around her curves, showing off her body subtly.

Hermione chattered on excitedly, talking about all of the things she was excited to see, about the people she saw walking past the huge window in the café, about things she wanted to try. Harry sat back, once again content to mostly listen, adding in a couple opinions whenever she asked. He was too busy staring at her eyes, the way they sparkled when she was particularly excited or happy. A plan in mind of everywhere they had to visit that day, they hurried to finish the crepes. With a flirtatious smirk, Hermione licked a tiny bit of whipped cream off her lips. She grinned harder, seeing his eyes focus on her lips. She had wanted a reaction and she knew just how to get it. After they finished their breakfast, they walked out into the lively Parisian streets hand in hand.

From the café, the newlyweds visited the Notre Dame Cathedral. Hermione chimed in with information from all of the tourist books she had read, adding information about the architecture. She mentioned the story of the Hunchback, a story Harry only vaguely knew, having never read a storybook until he left the Dursleys. He found the story fascinating, paying rapt attention to her words, picturing all the details of the grand building as it had once stood. A short distance from there, they came across the Sainte-Chapelle. Before they entered, Hermione had already begun sharing all of her knowledge, something Harry had grown used to over the years, and even found endearing by now, looking forward to hearing her. He enjoyed the way her eyes lit up as she talked about everything she had read from her precious books. However, as they walked in through the entrance, her voice faded away, her jaw dropped in awe. "The ceiling… It's so much prettier than any pictures. I know they described it as breathtaking, but this is just something else," she gasped.

At the word "breathtaking", Harry glanced at his wife, seeing her eyes widen in delight. She really was breathtaking. "You're breathtaking," he blurted.

She stared at him incredulously. "All of this Gothic architecture and you're staring at me?"

"You're still the most beautiful thing here…" To this, Hermione blushed, a feeling she really should have been used to by now, but always took her by surprise. She mused on how he was the only one who could make her feel as happy as she was. She wrapped herself in his embrace, throwing her arms around his neck, smelling the scent that was uniquely him, kissing him lightly on the cheek. Completely without words, he understood just what she couldn't quite do justice to with words. It wasn't common, she, Hermione Granger, being at a loss for words. Unless her Harry was there.

They glanced back around the chapel, the enticing view, capturing their attention once again. Strolling through the building holding hands, they admired the lighting and the colors that seeped through the stained glass windows.

From there, they soon left and headed to Les Jardins du Luxembourg, stopping to pick up a picnic lunch to eat. They walked through the gardens just enjoying each other's company, reminding them both of walks in the park back home. They sat on a bench eating their sandwiches, enjoying such simple food that tasted so different just due to the different bread and cheese.

"I could just live here," Hermione said sincerely, "France is beautiful. I could live here and see everything and just watch people live their lives, every single day. This is perfect."

Harry nodded. "Anything for you, sweetheart. I'll follow you wherever."

Topping off their lunch with pain-au-chocolat, Hermione licked a spot of chocolate off her bottom lip. Harry tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, and she turned her head to kiss the tips of his fingers. They sat there for a while, after finishing their meal, his arm around her, in a comfortable, almost sleepy silence.

Leaving the gardens, they back-tracked a little, walking through Rue de Rivoli. Harry asked Hermione if she wanted anything, to which she replied with, "Nope. I have everything I want right here," squeezing his hand slightly and smiling at him. He squeezed back, extremely happy for the millionth time that day. It was a high of happiness that began the moment she said "I do." After some time, they continued on to the Louvre, a name Harry enjoyed intentionally mispronouncing just to rile Hermione up. He thought she looked positively adorable when she was torn between laughing and hitting him for being so frustrating. She took to calling it the "Giant Pyramid Thing" just to keep him from messing with her precious French. "If the books are even close to accurate," she said, "You won't be making fun of it much longer." He simply grinned and followed her to their destination. She was right of course, as usual, and she knew it. He was awestricken. She nearly drank in all of the information, looking at all of the paintings and sculptures, reciting the histories of each off the top of her head. They both stood and stared at the Mona Lisa for a few minutes before Hermione voiced their thoughts. "I don't really get the big deal. It's interesting, but it's just been promoted too much. Oh well."

When they grew weary of the busy museum they wandered through the streets of Paris. Arriving towards the Eiffel Tower in time for their early dinner, Harry led his wife to the 58 Tour Eiffel, stopping along the way to take pictures of the view from the tower, a view that would never be forgotten. They were shown to their table where Harry, ever the perfect gentleman, pulled out Hermione's chair for her, making sure she was perfectly situated, before seating himself. They were recounting the highlights of the day until that point when the waiter brought by a bottle of fine wine. Sipping the deep red liquid and savoring the taste, the two opted to take a full five-course meal, a taste of some of Paris's finest.

Full and slightly lethargic from the wonderful, rich food, Harry and Hermione casually strolled back through Paris, adding their own lock to the Pont des Arts, symbolizing a sweet forever yet to come. Still blissfully wandering, they happened across a much smaller bridge, comparatively emptier, but with a brilliant view of the Eiffel Tower. They stood, looking over the edge at the sight. Her hands were resting on the hand rails, and he slid his closer to rest on top of hers, twining their fingers together. The sun began dipping below the horizon, turning the sky into gorgeous shades of orange, red, and pink, covered only by the occasional cloud. She turned to her husband, the love of her life, and looked deep into his eyes. She wrapped her arms around his neck as she felt his find their way to her waist. There were so many people passing by, but the place could have been empty for all they cared or noticed. They were lost in each other. No one else mattered when they were together. Hermione briefly realized how much of a photograph moment they shared, but any and all thoughts quickly flitted right back out of her mind. The dusk light glinted off of her ring, highlighting her precious sapphire. Just as the sun was disappearing, he leaned in and kissed her, on that bridge to the perfect background of a Parisian sunset, and as their lips met, the sun disappeared with a flash of gold, marking that moment as the beginning of always.

 **A/N: So this is my longest story yet (Almost 2000 words), and I think it turned out really nicely. Please let me know what you think, as always! The next chapter will come out on Nov 15th.**

 **A/N 2: This is if anyone wants to know why I wrote this. I'm just going to spill my personal life here, so beware XD. For those of you who read Two Minutes, you know that Her Eyes and Two Minutes were both written for/ because of the same person. We are back together, and I couldn't be happier! This story was written based on an idea of his.**

 **A/N 3: Dearest Something,**

 **Thanks for being my muse, my reason to write romance, the cause of so many smiles every single day. Here's to you, to us, and to Paris. I love you.**

 **~EternalVeritie**


	2. London

**A/N: Part 2 of The Beginning of Always!**

 **Disclaimer: Oops, I forgot the disclaimer in the last chapter. How scandalous. But yeah. Nope. Don't own Harry Potter. Never will I claim to be the genius that is JK Rowling.**

A new day brought with it a new city to explore. After spending a few days in France, Harry and Hermione continued their honeymoon in the United Kingdom, with plans to enjoy the wonderful sights in London. Although they'd lived in the nearby area, between their childhoods and Hogwarts, they hadn't quite had the opportunity to explore Muggle London thoroughly. Knowing they'd have the rest of their lives to spend in the city, they passed up mundane experiences like the cinemas to be able to do something impactful, serene, loving.

Waking up late, just in time for a quick brunch, the young couple headed out to The Shard. 70 floors up, in the tallest building in London, they gasped at the breathtaking view of the city. Hermione stood staring out of the glass windows, trying to locate every major icon she knew of in the city, and Harry stood behind her, wrapping his arms around her, resting his chin on her shoulder. It was a sweet gesture that had become so commonplace for them, just standing there, hugging, him listening, her detailing her latest read or a new spell she had found. There though, surrounded by the 360 degree view, she pointed out the landmarks.

"Oh look! The parks all look so pretty from up here. I almost feel like a giant, looking down on all the people and the cars. It's like being in an airplane almost!" she gushed. "We have to hurry though. Yoga is about to start."

Harry did a double take. "Yoga?!" he asked incredulously.

"Yes, didn't I tell you?" she said with a smirk.

He narrowed his eyes playfully, "No. You certainly did not."

"Oops," she said, flipping her hair over her shoulder as she turned to saunter off, "Must have forgotten."

"Sure. 'Forgotten,'" he answered, making little air quotes. He followed her anyway.

When they met up with the instructor and the group, Harry wasn't sure why he was there, and doing yoga, but was thankful there were a few other men, clearly dragged to the class by their girls. He soon found out just how famous the yoga classes were at The Shard, for good reason to. The bright sunlight coming in through the glass windows had a wonderful calming mood that insisted on focus. A greater force was active though, a distraction, in the form of his Hermione. With every new pose or stretch the instructor assigned, he watched Hermione bend and flex and show off her curves. If he hadn't realized how flexible she was before, he certainly did now. The view was wonderful, and he'd never say no to yoga again, just as long as he got to see her move the way she did.

Hermione, completely oblivious to the direction Harry's mind was wandering in, looked over at him and smiled, relaxed and happy. Harry returned the smiled, even as his mind went into overdrive. That innocent smile, she didn't even realize what she was doing to him. Not to mention, her breath was slightly heavier than usual from the exercise, and a thin layer of sweat coated her body.

He was so caught up in his thoughts that he almost missed the questioning look she threw his way, wondering why he was moving so sloppily, so robotically. Harry quickly moved to correct it and try to will his thoughts back to something a lot more innocent, somehow managing to make it through the whole class.

The moment the couple left, however, he pulled her against him and kissed her, startling her. She responded quickly, immediately realizing why he'd been so unfocused earlier. She pulled back with a smirk, the look in her eyes a clear promise of the things to come that night.

"You, my love, are positively wicked," he murmured in her ear.

Her smirk widened. "I know." She slipped her hand into his, and began leading him away, on to their next destination. "I'll prove just how much later." She paused for a few moments and then suggested they go on to the London Eye.

Harry was so excited to see the Eye; he'd wanted to visit for years. They stepped into the car, somehow managing to have one to themselves. The view from there was just as spectacular as that from The Shard. Standing in the middle of the car, he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her towards him, she linked her hands behind his neck, leaning up to kiss him. Hermione couldn't help notice how the sun surrounded him with a glow. He was her angel. He was her angel, and her source of sin, loving, yet just as wicked as she sometimes. Harry enjoyed the sights before him, all of London sprawled down below, but more importantly, the woman in his arms. Then, she was kissing him again, and every though was gone besides her.

As the ride around the Ferris Wheel ended, the two disembarked, heading to Westminster to grab a quick lunch and to see another couple of famous London icons, Big Ben and Westminster Abbey. Both were spectacular sights to see, and neither could believe they hadn't visited before. They proceeded to Buckingham Palace. It was definitely worth the visit. The many soldiers in uniform marched evenly, Changing the Guard being a very memorable performance. Every step, every note was perfectly executed.

Joining a tour of the Palace, Harry and Hermione were led through and given a general overview of the different rooms, their purposes, and other interesting historic fact. Meanwhile, Hermione kept up a running commentary, leaning in to her husband and whispering her own additions to whatever she felt the guide had missed. Occasionally, the tour guide mentioned something that she hadn't yet read in some book or another. Harry chuckled at the way she subconsciously tightened her grip on his hand, her fingers itching to write down new information. He was fairly sure she even had a small notebook in her purse, though he was surprised she had yet to use it. Taking notes of everything important, or just anything in fact, was a habit she'd never quite shaken. Harry certainly wouldn't stop her; her notes and her boundless information had saved his life on numerous occasions. It also, in his opinion, was what made her her, and that made it more endearing.

As the tour ended, Hermione checked the time, suddenly gasping, "Harry! We have to go! The wine tasting begins in a few minutes!" They had reserved tickets for a wine tasting exhibition. Harry enjoyed trying new wines, especially those from around the world, while Hermione mostly wanted to compare those from France with those made elsewhere. She had read that they were affected not only by the grapes used, but also by the various traditions used.

Sipping the wine, she giggled, happy and carefree. Blushing, she slapped her hand over her mouth, the slightest bit annoyed at making such a ridiculous sound as giggling. Harry looked at her with an amused expression on his face. "It's all good as long as you're drunk on life, and not this tiny bit of alcohol."

She mock glared at him. "Of course it's not the alcohol. Come on now. I just love being here with you."

"I know," he replied. "I like it when you giggle. It's adorable."

She let out another involuntary giggle at that statement. "Okay let's go now, before I do something really embarrassing, like giggle even more."

Harry laughed, "Oh yes. Hermione Potter, the witch who embarrasses herself by giggling and being happy." Dodging the swat she sent his way, he took her hand and pulled her up out of her chair. "Where to next, milady?"

On their way, they stopped by a small store on the corner of a side street. In the window was a beautiful red scarf that Hermione fell in love with. Harry of course bought it for her, and when she put it on, he couldn't help but agree that she looked adorable in it.

For their last event of the night, the couple strolled doewn to Hyde Park. Hermione had memories of seeing the fireworks there from her primary school days. Harry, of course, had yet to see non-magical fireworks. In fact, the only ones he had seen were those from Fred and George, the year they made their grand exit from Hogwarts.

The couple laid down a thin blanket over the grass, sitting side by side. Hermione reached into her bag, still charmed with the Undectectable Extension Charm, and pulled out a large, fluffy blanket. They wrapped it around themselves, revelling in the warmth they shared between them. They just sat there and talked as the sun set, sprawled on their sides, propped up in an elbow. Never did they run out of things to talk about, even after so many months, years, of being together. As the minutes slipped by, and the sky darkened, they shifted. She sat up again with Harry resting his head on her lap, lying on his back, mentally confirming that she was definitely brighter, more beautiful, a stronger token of hope than any of the stars that shined above her. She lazily ran her fingers through his hair, forever messy, never cooperating, same as hers. He leaned into her touch, earning a smile from her.

As a bright red rocket whistled through the air, bursting into a shower of multicolored sparks, her smile widened. Harry's eyes grew at the sight of the fireworks. The were something beautiful and wonderful and innocent, the hint of a childhood he never had. He found though, that at this moment, he didn't care. If it wasn't for how he grew up, wasn't for fate, he wouldn't be where he was, his arms wrapped around his beautiful witch. Her legs were thrown across his, and she leaned back against his chest. The fireworks continued to burst above them in fascinating displays of red, blue, gold, and green, an awing sight if there ever was one. As the show continued overhead, Hermione turned her head and captured Harry's lips, the sparks between them just as perfect as the glittery gold raining down from above.

 **A/N: As always, reviews are welcome. Love you all!**

 **~EternalVeritie**


	3. Wengen

**A/N: Here's chapter 3 (the last chapter) of TBoA. I did already post this chapter, but I added a little bit to it, as well as to London.**

The sunlight inched its way through the open windows, a light, cooling breeze kissing his skin as he woke. Harry opened his eyes to find that the bed next to him was empty and cold. He sat up suddenly, only to see Hermione hunched over a piece of paper, scribbling furiously. He stood up to take a look, and she all but flipped the desk.

"Harry, no! You aren't allowed to see just yet!"

Adopting a puppy dog face he whined, "Why not?" dragging out the words to be many syllables, instead of just two.

Avoiding his gaze because she knew she'd give in otherwise, Hermione replied with a very mature "Because I said so." She even stuck her tongue out at him, causing them both to burst into peals of laughter. She suggested he go take a shower until she had the chance to finish what she was working on. Harry reluctantly agreed, knowing her well enough to know that he wouldn't get to see until he did.

When he came back, hair damp, yet still as messy as ever, she was nowhere to be found. He slipped out onto the balcony, and wrapped his arms around her, looking out over the gorgeous view of Jungfrau and Eiger. It was still fairly early though well after dawn, and the sun was slowly creeping up the sky, throwing hues of orange and pink across the sky. She turned in his arms and pulled out a piece of paper from her pocket, pushing him gently towards a seat.

"As you know, I was writing earlier. I've had this idea going in my mind for a long, long time, and I think I've finally gotten the words as close to perfect as I can possibly make them."

 _To the love of my life,_

 _Never would I have imagined that we'd be where we are. When we first met, I didn't realize that you'd become my everything; if I had, maybe that's even longer we could have had. I most definitely do not mind, though, because we have the rest of eternity to spend together, a fulfilling promise, one that keeps me going, through all the dark times. Just knowing I have your love makes everything that much easier, that much better, that much sweeter, that much more innocent and pure. Every moment with you is bathed with happiness, such strong, unbelievable happiness. Every moment with you is a prize, a treasure. I could spend the next few minutes in your arms, or the next few days, the next few year, the rest of our lives. I know I've made so many bad choices over the years, but the one thing I know for sure is that being yours is not one of them. For all the times we've been together, I know we've had our ups and our downs, but when I look into your eyes, see the way you look at me, watch you laugh, feel your lips against mine, nothing matters but here and now. You and me. They say perfect doesn't exist. They'll never know the truth. Perfection is what I can believe I am and can achieve with you standing behind me. Perfection is the words you say, the things you do, who you are. Perfection is the way we fit together. Perfection is us._

She looked up shyly from the paper, never expecting to see the tears that had formed in his eyes. "I love you," he stammered, opening his arms towards her.

"I love you, too."

She ran into his arms and they sat there basking in the love, the pure emotion that spread though both of them, that filled the air.

Thoughts of activities for the day meant that their moment had to come to a close. They gathered their things and headed out to the train station. Harry couldn't help but admire the precision and timeliness of Swiss trains. They headed to the peak of Jungfrau and the neighboring mountain ranges. The peaks were beautiful backgrounds against which to take endless pictures. Harry, although refusing to be in most, took many pictures of his beautiful wife posing against the pristine, snowy background. Soon, the other activities there began spiking their interest. They learned to sled and to tube down a mountainside, an experience akin to the toboggan rides Hermione knew were famous there.

Sledding down the mountains over and over, a thin layer of snow dusted over their clothes. Through many layers and a warm, fluffy scarf, Hermione still shivered slightly. Harry noticed and pulled her tightly against himself. Wrapped up in his arms, she slowly felt the heat seeping back into her bones. Hand in hand, walking through the snow, they enjoyed the eternal, white, wonderland.

For one last picture on the top of the mountain, the couple set up a wizarding camera on a tripod, snapping the eternal picture of a kiss, snow sprinkled over them, as the formidable mountains rose behind them.

For a change in scenery, and something less chilly, the pair went on a hike, upon reaching the train station again. A trail up the side of a hill later, they arrived at a beautiful lake. The colors, the shades of blue and green, were so stunning, seeming almost Photo Shopped. The small rocks at the side of the lake were perfect for skipping. She taught him how to make the ripples bounce across the water, but he caught on quickly, soon able to skip farther and longer than she could. Of course, Hermione didn't like being bested in anything, and so, the competition began. They laughed and teased each other, and skipped stones until their arms hurt. Finally, they decided to head back down the mountain, taking more pictures along the way.

On the way to Kleine Scheidegg, they stopped to get some of the world renowned Swiss chocolate. The delicate balance of sweetness and bitterness danced on their tongues, melting in their mouths. Hermione suggested playing a guessing game. After she closed her eyes, Harry fed her a different variety of flavored chocolate, and then they would switch. Hermione easily won, but as the prize was a good snog, they both won.

Returning to Wengen, they decided to have the classic Cheese Fondue. Hermione mentioned the tradition of kissing the person to the left if someone drops their bread in the pot. Harry promptly dropped his. Considering that they were the only two, when either dropped bread, they'd get to kiss. More often than not, the bread was dropped, usually by Harry, just because he couldn't get enough of his wife. Finishing their meal, they ventured back to their hotel, just in time to watch the sunset from their balcony. Gathering her in his arms, Harry kissed her forehead, a sweet, loving gesture, that made her happier than ever. The sun dipped down, as they stood hand in hand, and as the first hints of starts came out, Hermione leaned over to kiss Harry.

"Perfection," she whispered against his lips.

And she knew that whatever tomorrow brought, whatever the universe threw at them, they could handle it together, forever. All that mattered was that they were together. France, England, Switzerland, they could be anywhere around the earth. But he was her world, and she is.

 **A/N: Hope you all enjoyed that! I really loved writing this story! Let me know your thoughts.**

 **~EternalVeritie**

* * *

 **Le Something,**

 **I know we said we'd hold off until Wednesday, but I just couldn't resist posting this now. Happy anniversary babe. I love you!**

 **~EternalVeritie**


End file.
